Scarlett Johansson Will Headline 'Ghost in the Shell'

Scarlett Johansson, fresh off her box office victory in Lucy, has signed on to star in another high-profile action picture, Ghost in the Shell. This upcoming DreamWorks production is based on the Japanese manga of the same name, first published in 1989. A live-action, sci-fi thriller, it centers on members of a covert ops unit who work for the Japanese National Public Safety Commission and specialize in battling technology crime.

Set in the year 2029, the film tells the story of cyborg cop Major Motoko Kusanagi, who is attempting to bring down a particularly dangerous computer hacker in an era when much of the population is vulnerable to being hacked, because their brains have cybernetic parts through which they can access computer networks. The hackers operate by altering people's memories or taking over their senses.

Reported to be starring alongside Johansson is Latin American TV sensation Cesar D' La Torre. If D' La Torre is cast, the movie could be his big break in American cinema. Although his résumé includes a few American credits, he is still largely unknown in the U.S.

Directing the movie is British filmmaker Rupert Sanders, who directed the 2012 action fantasy flick Snow White and the Huntsman. This big screen adaptation was written by screenwriter William Wheeler, best known for the feature film drama The Hoax.

This is not the first time Ghost in the Shell has been adapted for film. The comics have spawned two animated features as well as an animated TV series and a video game.